Thill-coupling.



W. A. BUCHANAN.

THILL COUPLING.-

APIPLIOATION IILED JAN. 10, 1913.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w. A. BUCHANAN.

THILL COUPLING. APPLmATIoN FILED JAN. 10, 1913.

1,073,328. Patented Sept. 16,1913,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' COLUMBIA PMNDGRAPH c0..wASH|NGTON, l). c.

WILLIAM A. BUOHANAN, or AsHEvILt'E, NORTH CAROLINA.

THILL-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t am, 13, 1913,

Application filed January 10, 1913. Serial N 0. 741,3 58.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. BU- OHANAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Asheville, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to thill couplings, and more particularly to that class of thill couplings known as antirattlers. It is one object of the present invention to provide a thill coupling so constructed that the thill may be readily connected with and disconnected from the same and without the use of tools of any sort, and which will when in use securely hold the thill iron and not be likely to accidentally release the same.

The thill coupling embodying the present invention is of that type in which the thill iron includes a bearing element which is confined Within a socket carried by the axle, by means of a cap, vention to so form and assemble the socket and cap that no strain whatsoever will be imposed upon the cap while the device is in use.

Another aim of the invention is to provide means for holding the cap closed, which means may beadjusted so as to exert a greater or less pressure upon thecap.

Another aim of the invention is to provide means for securely holding the cap against lateral displacement which would tend to weaken its hinge connection with the socket member whichit closes.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the thill coupling embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view takenin a plane from front to rear, the coupling being shown closed. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the coupling partly opened. Fig. i is a plan view of the coulin Fi 5 is a vertical transverse sect-ional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

'In the drawings the axle is indicated by the numeral 1 and has fitted to it a clip 2 in- .equal to its diameter.

and it is one aim of the including the usual threaded arms 3. The coupllng includes a body member at which conopenlngs through which the threaded ends of the arms 3 project, as in the ordinary clipplate. Nuts 5 are threaded onto the arms 3 and bear against the under side of 4: and serve to hold the body firmly in place against t-he'under side of the axle. The body 4 is extended forwardly to form ahead 6 which isrelatively thick and whichhas its upper side inclined downwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 7. The head 6 is formed with a socket 8 which is approximately semi-spherical and of a depth nearly The body at its opposite sides, or more specifically the wall of the socket 8 is formed at diametrically opposite points with recesses 9 which communicate with the socket and openfat' the lateral faces of the said body. The bottom wall of each recess 9 is substantially semicircular in extent and the rear wall extends substantially tangentially with respect to the bottom wall, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and as indicated at 10. The forward wall 11 of the socket extends substantially parallel to the rear wall thereof and it will be observed by referring to the said Fig. 3 that both walls are inclined upwardly and rearwardly. The purpose of this construction will presently be fully set forth.

: Disposed removably within the socket 8 is a substantially semi-spherical packing 12 which may be of leather or any other suitable material.

The thill isindicated by the numeral 13 and the thill-iron by the numeral 14, the iron being secured uponthe under side of the thill in the usual manner will be provided at its rear .end with spaced arms 15 which extend substantially in parallel relation and which straddle the head 6 in a manner shown in Figs. 1, 4: and 5 of the drawing, when the thill-iron is connected with the coupling. The thill-iron carries a bearing element consisting of a spherical head 16 provided with trunnions 17 which project therefrom at diametrically opposite points and are secured at their ends in openings in the ends of the arms 15 of the thill-iron. The spherical head 16 is adapted to be fitted withinthe packing 12 in the socket 8 in a manner shown in Fig. 2 andit will be observed by referring to the said figure that the axis of the head is located a distance below the plane stitutes the clip-plate it being provided with the body occupied by the upper side of the head 6,

substantially'equal to the radius of the head so that nearly the entire surface'of the head 16 will be received by the wall-of the socket 8 or more specifically the packing 12..

arranged within the said socket. At this point it Wlll be apparent that inasmuch as the line of draft is substantially horizontal the head 16 will have firm bearing against the forward side of the socket when a pull is exerted upon the thill. It will furthermore be apparent that inasmuch as the walls 11 of the recesses 9 are inclined upwardly and rearwardly, the trunnions will, between the head. 16 and arms 15, bear firmly against the saidwalls and thereby insure against accidental disengagement of the head 16 and trunnions from the socket and the recesses.

ear-"s19 and 20 whereby to connect the cap 18 with the head 6 for swinging movement. Thecap 18' is formed in its under side with a recess 22 which is formed to fit the upper side of the head 16 in a manner clearly shown in'Fig; 2. It will be observed that the cap 18 is pivoted at the forward side of the head 6 and when in closed position overlies the inclinedupper face 7 of the said head and has its rear end located adjacent to the for ward end of the clip arms 3. In its upper side and adjacent its said rear end, the cap 18is formed with a transversely extending groove 23 and at a point substantially midway between the ends of the groove with an opening 24 in communication ,with the groove. A stud 25 is provided upon the upper side of the head 6 and the upper end of this stud, when the cap 18 is in closed position, fits in the opening 24, as shown in Fig. 2 and serves to brace the cap against lateral displacement. i r 7 As a means for holding the cap in closed position, or in other words in the position shown in'Fig. 2, there is provided a yoke which engages over the cap and which is caused to exert pressure against the cap by means of a spring. The yoke is illustrated as including spaced sides 26 and connecting ends 27 and 28. The sides 26 are bent mid way between the ends so that the portions at opposite sides of their bends extend at an obtuse angle to each other as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The yoke straddles the body 4 and itshead 6 and the connecting end 27 of the yoke fits within the groove 23 in the upper sides of the cap 18. A block 29 is provided with a threaded stud 30 which projects from its upper side and which is adjustablythreaded intoa socket 31 in the under side of the body 4. The block 29 is provided withlaterally projecting pintle lugs 32 located upon its opposite side faces and it isito these lugs and to the connecting end 28 of the yoke that the ends of the leaves nected. One leaf of the spring is indicated by the numeral 33 and the other by the nuits end and its furcations are bent to form pintle eyes 35 which receive the pintle lugs [32. In a like manner the end of the leaf 36: receiving the connecting end 28 of the yoke. The spring is bent between form the leaves 33 and 34 and the leaf 33 adjacent the bend 37 is curved downwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 38. In asimilar manner the leaf 34 adjacent the said bend is curveddownwardly and rearwardly ing it will be seen that the leaf 33 is of greater length than the-leaf 34 and is 10- :cap 18. ltwi-ll also be apparent that both leaves are inclined downwardly and forwardly but that the inclination'of the leaf 1 34 is greater than that ofthe'leaf 33 so that the said leaves maybe said'to diverge in a forward and downward direction. It will sides 26 of the'yoke and that it bears, at

respective clip-arni 301 against the nut 5,;

the arm projects-below the nut. It will now be apparent that when the spring is swung will be located rearwardly of the pivot 32 and inasmuch as the leaves 33 and 34 have a tendency to spring apart, a downward pull yieldably although firmly hold the cap 18 in closed position. It is to be noted that due tolthe bend in the side members 26 of the tendto straighten out the said sides, but this tendency will be yieldably resisted, thereby increasing the resiliency of the device as a whole. It will be seen that the point of is at the forward end of thecurved portion the leaf and the bend 37 form a finger-piece j downwardly and forwardly to open the coupling, When the spring'is so swung itwill assume about the position shown in Fig. 3 ,of the drawing and after having assumed such a position, the connecting end 27 of l the yoke may be disengaged from the groove 5 23 in the cap 18 andthe cap may be swung of the spring above mentioned are con ineral 34 and the leaf 33 is bifurcated'at 34 is bent upon itself to form. a sleeve.

cated above the said leaf, considering the. spring to be in position to exert a down-- Iward pull upon the bail which engages the 1 further be seen by reference to the said figure that the leaf 33 extends. between the" yoke, the pull exerted by the spring will engagement of the leaf 33 with the clip arm projecting rearwardly beyond-the clip and body 4' in position for engagement by the- 5 hand fo-rthe purpose of swinging the spring 7 its ends upon itself as indicated at 37, to

as at 39. By referring toFig. 2 of the drawits bend 38 against the lower end' 'of the i depending of course upon whether or not to the "position shown infFig. 2 the pivot 28- V will be exerted upon the yoke, whereby to j i 38 of the said leaf so thatthis p'ortionof 120,.

upwardly to permit of disengagement of the head 16 from the socket 8.

It will be apparent by reference to Figs. 2 and 3 that the bend 39 in the leaf 34: constitutes a finger-piece or hook in the concavity of which the finger may be engaged for the purpose of swinging the spring upwardly and rearwardly to assume the position shown in Fig. 2. It .Will further be apparent that inasmuch as the leaf 3 1 of the spring is inclined downwardly and forwardly, to the degree shown in the drawing, a downward thrust will be exerted against the yoke which will serve to more firmly and securely lock the parts in position and will furthermore add to the resili- Win. the instance of ency of the spring and render it less liable to become weakened. In fact, in all similar structures, so far as I am aware, the leaves of the spring corresponding to the spring herein shown and described, extend parallel so that the spring is not capable of exerting a downward thrust upon the yoke as the present invention, when the parts are in locked position.

As before stated, the stud 30 is threaded adjustably into the socket 31, and consequently should the spring become weakened, the yoke may bepassed over the head 6 and the block 29 may be rotated so as to unthread the stud ashort distance which will, as a consequence, lower the pintle lugs 32 and increase the tension on the spring when restored to position for use. In order that the head 16 and the packing 12 may be lubricated the wall of the socket 8 in the rear is formed with an opening 40 in which is inserted a piece of wick or felt indicated by the numeral 11. One end of this lubricant conducting element projects into the socket 8 and preferably rests against the head 16 and the other end projects a slight distance exteriorly of the socket so that it may readily receive lubricant from the spout of an oil can.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be seen that there is provided a simple but highly efficient thill coupling and one which will not be liable to become disarranged or unfastened, although it may be readily manipulated, so as to confine or release the bearing element of the thill coupling. It will further be seen that inasmuch as the forward side of the head 16 is received by the wall of the socket 8, or more specifically by the packing 12, the forward pull exerted upon the thills will be borne practically entirely by the fixed head 6 so that no strain will be imposed upon the cap 18.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a thill coupling of that type including a socketed body-member and a capmember supported thereby in position to close the socket, a head having a stem adjustably threaded into the body-member, a bowed leaf-spring having pivotal connection with the head at one end, and a yoke connected at the other end of the spring and engaged with the cap-member, adjustment of the head serving to adjust the tension of the spring whereby to cause the yoke to bear more or less firmly upon the cap-member.

2. In a thill coupling of that type including a socketed body member and a cap member supported thereby in position to close the socket, a head having a stem adjustably threaded into the body member and provided with oppositely projecting studs, a bowed leaf-spring bifurcated at one end and having its furcations pivotally fitted about the said studs and straddling the head, and a yoke connected at the other end of the springand engaged with the cap member, the head being adapted to be rotated upon rotation of the spring whereby to adjust the tension of the spring and cause the yoke to hear more or less firmly upon the cap member.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. BU GHANAN. [L. s.]

Witnesses W. E. JOHNSON, v F. T. H. WVooDs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

